Similar Souls
by Rias Minarossi
Summary: Isabo has led a rather boring life since the day her parents died. Then one morning, her fate becomes intertwined with those of the Earl Ciel Phantomhive & his butler. Now she must navigate the perils of being a Phantomhive servant as well as being in love with the alluring & elusive Sebastian. Can Bo tame the Queen's Dog and his butler, or will their souls stain hers pitch black?
1. Part 1

Part 1

 _"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,_

 _than are dreamt of in your philosophy." –_ Hamlet


	2. His Maid, Introduced

It happened on Christmas morning of 1886. That was day everything changed for me. For better or worse, I still do not know. Perhaps I may never know. To be honest, I stopped caring long ago. But that is a story for another day. As I said, this story begins on Christmas morning of 1886, the day I met _them_. The day my fate became intertwined with that of Ciel Phantomhive and his black butler…

"And where do you think you're going at this hour?" Bo's boss sneered, his Cockney accent thick. She had grown used to it by now; everyone she knew had it, including herself. Mr. Brown looked down at her through his beady brown eyes and smiled. Bo fought the urge to gag at his wretched breath and yellow teeth. "A lady like you shouldn't be out alone this late, poppet. Why don't you spend the night here? I have an extra cot you could use upstairs."

 _I'm no lady,_ Bo wanted hiss. Mr. Brown was the single most perverted, disgusting, idiotic man she had ever met. Normally, his vile comments were kept in check by the presence of his wife, but Mrs. Brown had been out on a trip to the country to visit her mother and it seemed the depraved brute was growing bold. If Bo had wanted to, she could have punched that dirty old man in his fat stomach and told him right where he could shove his cot.

Unfortunately, Bo needed money, and miserly Mr. Brown had plenty of it. So instead, she batted her lashes at the old pervert and said in the sweetest voice she could manage, "Why thank you, Mr. Brown, but my poor mother would be worried sick if I didn't come home tonight." This of course, was a lie. Bo's parents had been dead for over ten years now, but Mr. Brown didn't need to know that. All Bo needed to do was convince him that someone was waiting for her at home, and that if she didn't show, there would be trouble. "Besides, it's Christmas Eve. I should spend it with my family."

Bo moved to walk past him, but he wrapped one fat hand around her wrist. Bo tried to pull away, but his grip was tight despite his disgustingly sweaty palms. "Come now, poppet," he said in what Bo supposed was an attempt at a seductive voice. "It's freezing out. Stay here with me and keep warm."

Bo thanked him quickly but denied the offer once more. This time, however, when she tried to pull away, he pulled her towards himself so that she was pressed against his fat belly. Bo suppressed the urge to vomit at the stench of alcohol and cigars which stuck to his clothes. "Now, now," said Mr. Brown. "I don't think that's any way to speak to your boss." Bo fought back a scream as the pervert brought his lips closer to her own. "Why don't you try that again?"

 _Damn the money_ , Bo thought as she brought up her knee to his groin. Once again, she was thankful for her small size. Bo doubted a normal-sized woman her age would have been able to knee the short, potbellied man. Most people would consider it a disadvantage, but she found it useful in more ways than one. As Mr. Brown cursed and released her to grab his genitals in pain, Bo rushed out the door.

The old pervert had been right about one thing: It _was_ freezing. Bo made her way through the darkened streets of London as quickly as possible without slipping on the icy roads. Snow fell around her like a white curtain, dotting her black hair with flakes of pure white. Bo rubbed her arms together as she walked, cursing herself for forgetting her coat in the rush. It was the only one Bo had, and now that she had just kneed her boss in the groin, Bo had no idea when she'd have the money to buy a new one.

Mr. Brown's drunken yells echoed throughout the city as he chased her down the street. For the moment, Bo had the advantage, but if she didn't get out of the cold, she risked collapsing. Bo cursed herself once more for not eating anything. She was meant to be paid that day and had been hoping to have her own small feast for Christmas, so she had been saving up as much as she could.

Bo hurried into a small alleyway and leaned against the wall. As she caught her breath, she counted the chimes from Big Ben's clock. When the twelfth chime sounded, Bo laughed bitterly. She reached for the simple locket around her neck and opened it up. "Happy Christmas," Bo breathed as she smiled down at the picture of her parents. "I miss you guys."

Suddenly, she was knocked to the ground. "Now I've got you," exclaimed Mr. Brown wildly. Bo tried to scream, but he placed a now icy hand over her mouth, silencing her. She watched, green eyes wide with horror as he straddled her, his weight nearly crushing her. Bo tried to struggle against him, but she was weak from hunger and cold. _Is this it?_ Bo wondered as her eyelids began to feel heavy.

 _Is this how it ends?_ She looked up at the sky. If Bo was going to die like this, then she would make damn sure that the last thing she saw was emnot/em some sweaty, potbellied, old man with beady eyes and balding brown hair. As Bo stared up at the stars, she noticed a raven flying above us. She followed the bird until it flew behind Mr. Brown. For a moment, Bo thought she was imagining the young boy with dark hair and the man behind him. Even so, Bo lifted her hand weakly. The last thought that passed through Bo's mind before she blacked out was, _help me._

When Bo woke up, she was in a bed. This surprised her greatly due to the fact that she hadn't slept in an actual bed in almost a decade. Bo sat up quickly and looked about the room. The beige walls were bare and there was no other furniture besides a large wardrobe. Even so, it was far more lavish than some of her previous living quarters.

"Ahh, so you're finally awake." The most surprising thing was the man's accent. It was proper, nothing like the Cockney accents Bo had grown so accustomed to. She turned to look at the man beside her. He was well dressed, even for a butler, which she assumed he was from his clothing. He had black hair and striking red eyes which were filled with amusement. "The young master and I were beginning to wonder if you had slipped into a coma."

Bo glared at the man. "Who the hell are you?" she demanded. Not the most polite greeting, she knew, but Bo had grown wary of strangers over the past few years, especially ones who seemed kind. "Where am I?" Bo tried to stand, but a wave of vertigo immediately forced her to lie back down with a groan.

"You shouldn't push yourself," he said sternly. "Now, if you wouldn't mind telling me your name?" The man raised an eyebrow.

Bo ignored the question and asked one of her own instead. "How long have I been out?"

"You've been unconscious for a few hours now. May I have your name?"

Once more, she pretended he hadn't asked her anything. "Have you been watching me sleep this whole time?"

The butler's burgundy eyes narrowed in frustration. "My master ordered to keep an eye on you until you awakened," he answered curtly. "Now tell me your name." His voice was commanding this time, and Bo knew he wouldn't let up until she told him.

"Isabo," she answered warily. "My name is Isabo Stuart."

He nodded and stood from his seat. "I must go. The young master asked me to inform him when you awoke."

"Wait," Bo called after him. "You haven't told me who you are. Or who your master is," she added. Despite her reservations, Bo was extremely curious to know who her savior was.

The butler smiled mischievously. "My name," he began with a low bow, "is Sebastian Michaelis. I am the head butler for the Earl Ciel Phantomhive. Now if you'll excuse me, I must attend to my young lord before he grows impatient." With that, Sebastian turned to leave. As he stepped out the door, he paused as if remembering something important. "Oh, and Happy Christmas, Miss Stuart."

Bo was stunned. Sebastian smirked at hr in amusement. It was obvious he was waiting for a reply, but the ridiculousness of the statement in comparison to everything else had shocked Bo into silence. After a moment, she collected herself and offered a small smile at the butler. "Happy Christmas, Mr. Michaelis."

After what seemed like an eternity, a maid entered the room sheepishly holding a large bundle of clothes. She wore a pair of cracked glasses and her face seemed to be the same shade of red as her hair. "Oh, hello dearie," she said. Bo immediately relaxed at the sound of the redhead's accent. It reminded Bo of her own home and made her feel more comfortable in the huge manor. "The master has asked me to make you presentable for an audience with him."

Bo looked down at her own torn clothing. As if her outfit hadn't been ragged enough already, the struggle from last night – or rather, earlier that morning – had left Bo in what looked like a few tattered strips of cloth. She blushed at the thought of Sebastian seeing her in such a state. _Well, that's rather embarrassing._

"Are you alright, luv?" the maid asked, breaking Bo's train of thought. "You seem a bit flushed. If you like, I can tell the young master you still aren't feeling well."

Bo shook her head furiously. "Oh, no that's alright," she answered quickly. "I'm still just surprised by this place. It's all a bit posh, innit?"

The redhead laughed and gave her a knowing smile. "That's what I said when I first got 'ere! Just wait till you see the rest of the manor." Bo smiled at the maid's kindness. "I'm Mey-Rin, by the way." She extended a hand to Bo.

Bo took her hand and shook it firmly. "Pleasure to meet you," she replied. "I'm Isabo, but most people call me Bo."

Mey-Rin smiled and began laying dresses down on the bed. "Now then," she said. "Let's get you dressed. Is there anything you prefer?"

Bo looked at the dresses in amazement. There were at least half a dozen, each finely adorned with lace and flowers. Each was more beautiful than the last, and Bo was certain that a single one cost more than what she could make in a year. She had no idea where to begin.

She smiled up at Mey-Rin. "You can dress me in whatever you think looks best. Just one condition," Bo added, holding up a finger for emphasis. Her expression was stern, but her green eyes held a mischievous sparkle. "I don't do pink."

Mey-Rin nodded solemnly and immediately began helping Bo dress. After a while, they eventually decided on a lovely dark green dress with black lace for the trim. It matched Bo's jade eyes perfectly and made them pop against her ivory skin and black hair. Bo admired herself in the mirror as Mey-Rin squealed over how lovely Bo looked. _I look like a right proper lady in this_ …

Even so, something was missing. Bo's eyes roamed up and down her image in the mirror as she tried to spot what was wrong. Suddenly, Bo's hands flew up to her neck. "My locket!" she exclaimed in panic. "It's gone!" Bo turned to Mey-Rin. "When I arrived here, did you happen to see if I was wearing a gold locket around my neck?"

Mey-Rin shook her head sadly. "Sorry, dear," she apologized. "Sebastian and the young master were the only ones who saw you. We were only informed about your arrival. You'd have to ask them about it."

Bo nodded, but before she could say anything else, someone knocked on the door. "Miss Stuart?" Sebastian's voice called through the door. "The master is ready to see you now." Slowly, Bo made her way to the door and opened it for the butler. Sebastian looked Bo up and down but said nothing as to her appearance. "Come along. The young master doesn't like to be kept waiting." She waved goodbye to Mey-Rin before following Sebastian down a long hallway.

"Mr. Michaelis?" Bo asked tentatively. "When you brought me here, do you remember seeing a locket with me?"

He seemed to ponder this for a moment. "A locket?" he echoed and shook his head. "No, I'm afraid not. I'll see if the young master will allow us to go looking for it later." Bo nodded and thanked him. That locket was the only thing she had left of her parents, and Bo refused to let it go so easily.

The rest of the walk was silent and uneventful. When they entered the study, a young boy of about eleven was sitting at the large oak desk. He had an eyepatch over his right eye, and his expression was serious. _So this is the young master, Earl Ciel Phantomhive._ She nodded to the boy and offered him a curtsy.

"Hello, my lord," Bo said in the kindest voice she could manage.

"You are Isabo Stuart?" he asked without further greeting.

"Yes, my lord." She nodded. "I'd like to thank you for saving my life."

He waved away Bo's words. "Please don't. We have much to discuss, and I'd rather not waste my time on pleasantries." Bo was surprised by his response, and yet part of her rather liked his directness. It was quite refreshing in a world filled with niceties and mindless chatter. "Now, about your contract –"

"My contract?" Bo blurted in shock.

Ciel raised an eyebrow and Sebastian, who had moved to stand behind him at some point during the conversation, smirked in amusement. "Why, yes," replied Ciel, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "As you said, I saved your life. You are indebted to me. It's only natural that you should repay that debt by working for me."

Bo's eyes widened in shock. _Me, a maid for the Phantomhive family?_ The thought was almost laughable. "But," she began to protest. "You don't know anything about me. I could be a murderer, or a thief, or –"

"Isabo Stuart," Sebastian cut her off. Bo looked up to see him reading from a thick red folder. "Aged twenty-six years this past November." He glanced up at the black-haired woman with another smirk. "Happy birthday. Born to Dr. and Mrs. Elijah Stuart, both deceased. Cause of death was a carriage accident fourteen years ago on Christmas day. No other living relatives. Moved around from orphanage to orphanage until you turned eighteen. Troubled past. Incarcerated several times for petty theft and breaking and entering. So no, not a murderer," he added. "But a thief… That is questionable."

Her eyes widened at the butler. He had just read Bo's entire history in a span of five minutes. She was stunned into silence. "You see, Miss Stuart," Ciel said, stealing her attention once more. "The Phantomhive family does not just hire anyone to serve them. Each one of our servants has been carefully investigated by both Sebastian and myself. As for the thieving, promise to keep your hands only on the things I tell you to, and we shouldn't have a problem. I think you'll find the rest of the servants won't judge you here based on your history. So, Miss Stuart." Ciel paused, his blue eye filled with mischief. "Do we have a deal?"


	3. His Maid, Fearless

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" Finny cried out in pain, breaking Bo's train of thought. The poor boy had just been struck by a dart by Ciel and he wasn't taking it well. "What was that for, Master?" he demanded. "What did I do?"

"Nothing," Ciel answered calmly. He took a sip of his tea without looking at the older boy. "I don't need to justify my actions."

Bo rolled her eyes. She had been at the Phantomhive manor for less than a year, and yet that answer had become predictable whenever the young lord did something unusually cruel to one of the servants. He wasn't doing it to be particularly cruel, she knew; he was just bored.

After Ciel and Sebastian had saved her from Mr. Brown almost a year ago, Bo had been working for the Earl Phantomhive as one of his servants. Unlike the others, however, he had developed something akin to fondness for Bo, which meant she was usually by his side. Bo also had the unique skill of pacifying the others due to their similar backgrounds, which Ciel was also grateful for as it brought him some peace and quiet.

"Now, now, Finny," the black-haired woman said soothingly as she went over to the young blond boy. Bo looked at the back of his head, which had already healed. Bo didn't know much about the other servants' pasts, but she knew that Finny had had a hard life and he was different from the others, so she wasn't all that surprised. "Look, you're all fine now. I'll see to it that Sebastian gives you a piece of the dessert tonight if you like, all right?"

Finny looked up at her, his blue eyes wide and teary. "Really, Miss Isabo?" She nodded and he wrapped his arms around the woman in a tight hug.

Bo laughed and returned the hug. "Finny," she choked slightly. "Too tight." He released her quickly and stammered out an apology. "It's alright," she laughed. "Anyway, I told you to call me Bo."

Finny nodded, but before he could reply, the door burst open to reveal the head butler, Sebastian. "There you are!" he exclaimed, glaring at the other three servants. "Have you finished weeding the courtyard, Finny? Mey-Rin, have you washed all the bedding? Baldroy, shouldn't you be preparing for tonight's dinner?" The servants began to stammer out explanations, but Sebastian ignored them. "Tanaka... well, I suppose you're alright as you are," he said. Bo scoffed. _Nothing new there._ She half suspected that Sebastian had a sort of respect for the old head butler, but of course Bo would never voice her suspicions. "Now all of you, we have no time for thumb-twiddling this morning. So get to work!" Bo hid her smirk as the other raced out the door. "Simply hopeless," said Sebastian, shaking his head.

"Perhaps you should try some positive reinforcement?" Bo offered, turning to hand Ciel the dart he had thrown at Finny.

Sebastian glanced at her in amusement. "Perhaps I shall consider it, Miss Stuart." Bo fought the urge to glare at him. Sebastian Michaelis had taken an inexplicable interest in her ever since the day she'd joined the Phantomhive household. He seemed amused by everything Bo did, and it irritated her to no end.

"If you two are done," Ciel said, interrupting the stare down that had begun between Sebastian and Bo. "I will be in the study." The young boy stood and Bo nodded, moving to follow him.

The day passed boringly. Ciel worked, then they played a few games together. Bo thought he enjoyed playing with her best when Sebastian wasn't around, because he always seemed more relaxed away from the butler. In fact, she realized, he seemed more relaxed away from other people in general. Bo couldn't say that she didn't agree. Eventually, however, Ciel decided to call Sebastian for a snack. Bo smirked; she could just picture the annoyance on the butler's face at being interrupted on such a busy day.

If Sebastian was upset at being called, he didn't show it when he entered the room. Without looking up, Ciel gave the order, "I'm a bit hungry. I'd like something sweet to eat."

"You shouldn't eat now, Master," Sebastian argued lightly. "You don't want to spoil your appetite for dinner with your guest this evening." Bo glared at him from her place behind Ciel. She was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed as she studied the butler.

Ciel looked up at Sebastian, his annoyance obvious in his blue eye. "I don't care about that," he said. "Make me a parfait."

Sebastian refused to change his mind. "I'm sorry, sir." Bo raised an eyebrow. Not that she didn't agree with his reasoning, but Bo always found it particularly annoying when Sebastian disobeyed. Perhaps Bo was spoiling the boy; perhaps that was fine with her.

"Fine then," Ciel scoffed and stood, turning to face the window. He shot Bo a small glance and she nodded imperceptibly in return. _I really do spoil him,_ Bo thought as she made her way out of the study, ignoring Sebastian as she went. The young lord's next words, however, made her stop once she reached the doorway. "About the portrait in the hallway."

"Yes?" prompted Sebastian.

"Take it down." Bo held in a gasp. "I am Ciel Phantomhive, son of Vincent, and I am the head of the house now." She turned to look at the young boy, who had his back turned to them. "Consider it done, my lord," Sebastian said after a moment. Bo looked at him. _Is he... smiling?_ Bo could predict the actions and thoughts of almost every member of the Phantomhive household, including the young master himself. She had grown to understand them and consider each of them her own family. And yet, there was still one person whose thoughts always eluded Bo, whose next move was as unpredictable and volatile as the ocean. His bright red eyes seemed to hold some unknowable secret, some hidden thought Bo could never hope to grasp at. To be certain, Sebastian Michaelis was an enigma Bo could not solve, and that too – as with everything else involving the head butler – irritated her to no end.

However, Bo knew better than to call Sebastian out in front of the young master. So, instead she kept her mouth shut and made her way down to the kitchen as quickly as possible before Sebastian realized what she was doing. Bo dug through the ice box for the cake that she knew Sebastian kept stored at all times. He usually kept it for moments when Ciel had a sweet tooth, which was almost always, but Bo was usually able to sneak a slice or two without the butler noticing.

Bo cut a piece of cake and placed it on a small plate. After a moment of consideration, she cut a second, smaller piece for Finny, whom Bo had promised a slice to. Just as she finished putting away the rest of the dessert and placing spoons on the plates, an all-too familiar voice from behind Bo made her jump.

"Now what do you think you're doing?" asked Sebastian. Bo looked up at the butler, who was watching her with an amused expression.

", uh," Bo stammered, wracking her brain for an excuse. "I was just getting some cake for Finny. I promised him some this morning after the master hit him with that dart. It was the only way I could calm him down." It wasn't a total lie; Bo _had_ promised Finny a slice, she just hadn't planned on giving it to him until later.

Sebastian's smirk widened. "Oh really?" he said. "Then who's the second slice for?"

 _Bollocks._ "Pardon?" Bo asked, stalling for time.

The butler's expression darkened almost instantly. He scowled at Bo and stalked forward, taking another step with each word. "Who. Is. The. Second. Slice. For." He stopped right in front of Bo so that his chest was nearly touching hers.

Bo looked up at his bright red eyes. _Don't let him get to you._ "I wasn't aware it was a crime to have some for myself," she answered evenly. "If you have a problem with that, I suggest you take it up with the young lord. I'm sure he'd _love_ to hear all about why Finny won't stop crying because you refused to let him have a simple slice of cake."

For a moment, he was silent. Bo remained stock still as his bright red eyes bored into her green ones. She half-expected him to call her bluff, but luckily that didn't happen. "Very well," acquiesced Sebastian as he stepped away from her. Bo released a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. She nodded and picked up both plates to carry them out of the kitchen, but Sebastian grabbed Bo's arm as she passed him, effectively holding her back. Bo tried to pull away, but he held on tightly and leaned in closer so that his lips were inches from her ear. "For your sake, Miss Stuart," he whispered, his voice dangerously soft. "I hope that neither of those plates finds its way to the young master, or I will be _very_ upset with you."

Bo inhaled sharply but remained still. "If you think for one second that I am even _remotely_ afraid of you, Mr. Michaelis," she began, my voice even. Bo looked up at him, her jade eyes blazing fiercely as they met his cool crimson ones once more. "You are very wrong." She watched with satisfaction as his eyes widened with surprise. Taking advantage of his vulnerability, Bo wrenched her arm out of his grip, careful not to disturb the plate it held, and strode out of the kitchen angrily.

She passed Finny on the way back to Ciel's study and handed him a slice of cake. Ignoring his questions about her stormy expression, Bo picked up her skirts and practically ran to the study. When she arrived, Ciel was sitting at his desk once more. He looked up at Bo questioningly, surprised by her breathlessness.

"Your butler is an arse," she said simply. Normally, she would hold her tongue in front of the young master, but Bo was in no mood to be polite or delicate – Sebastian Michaelis had made certain of that. Ciel chuckled – a strange thing for the usually stoic boy – and merely returned to his work. Placing the plate in front of him, Bo continued. "You should eat quickly. I've no doubt the others will keep him busy for quite a while, but I'd rather be safe than sorry."

Ciel nodded and proceeded to take a bite out of his cake. Bo knew that, despite her warning, the boy would take his time enjoying the dessert, which would be fine as long as the others acted predictably. Bo sighed and excused herself before making her way out of the study. Her last showdown with Sebastian had left Bo inexplicably drained and she wanted to rest a bit before the guest arrived.

Unfortunately, Bo didn't get the chance. Almost immediately after her head had landed on her pillow, someone knocked impatiently at the door. Bo groaned, knowing exactly who it was. "Coming!" Bo called as she stood reluctantly. As Bo pulled the door open, she allowed some of her annoyance to show. "Yes, Sebastian?" She raised an eyebrow as she looked up at the head butler in irritation.

His expression was even darker than before andBo felt her heart skip a beat. "Staff meeting. Now," he barked. Bo didn't get achance to respond, because Sebastian grabbed her by the wrist and promptlybegan dragging her down the long narrow hallway. In that moment, Bo could havesworn she'd seen his eyes glow bright red.


	4. His Maid, Indebted

"Now, how exactly did this happen?" demanded Sebastian. Bo could tell he was trying very hard to remain calm and she had to fight the urge to smirk at his annoyance. Despite her feeling of smugness, however, not even Bo could enjoy the small victory when the garden was half-dead, the tea sets were all shattered, and the meat had been charred.

"We're so sorry, we didn't mean to!" Mey-Rin and Finny apologized in unison. She sighed and rolled her eyes as they hugged Sebastian around the waist and began sobbing apologies uncontrollably.

"Calm down, all of you," scolded Sebastian. "In fact, you should try taking a page out of Tanaka's book and start behaving like –" Suddenly, the head butler paused and stared at the older man. He smirked and Bo knew he had come up with a brilliant idea. "Everyone, listen closely and do exactly as I say, understand? We must be quick about this. We might save this night yet..."

Bo raised an eyebrow but said nothing as she listened to his plan. Despite her contempt for Sebastian Michaelis, not even she could deny his ability to think on his feet. Then again, if he couldn't do that much for his master, then what kind of butler would he be?

Bo stood nervously with the other servants at the entrance to the manor as they waited for Damiano's carriage to arrive. Only Sebastian seemed calm, though his posture was tense. As the carriage pulled to a stop, Sebastian stepped forward to open the door for the guest. Damiano was a handsome man, with longish brown hair and blue eyes which stood out against his tan skin.

"How impressive!" exclaimed Mr. Damiano as he took in the garden. Sebastian's quick thinking had transformed the dead brush into a beautiful Japanese landscape.

"Hello, welcome sir!" the servants greeted in unison, bowing respectfully.

"This is called a stone garden," Sebastian explained as he walked with Damiano. "It is a traditional feature in Japan."

Damiano clapped his hands together happily. "Ah, _prodigioso_!" he exclaimed. "Wonderful! Truly an elegant garden!" Bo held back her sigh of relief as the two men made their way towards the other servants.

"We thought it appropriate to serve dinner al fresco this evening," continued the butler with a kind smile. "Isabo will escort you inside until the meal is ready." Bo nodded to the gentleman and bowed once more.

"Welcome, sir," Bo greeted warmly as she looked up at him. "Shall I take your coat?"

"I should have expected this from a Phantomhive," Damiano declared. "I cannot wait to see what else is in store!" He handed Bo his coat and hat and entered the manor with excitement.

"We actually did it," Baldroy sighed as the servants cheered happily. Bo grinned.

"Who would've thought a dozen bags of gravel could turn into an amazing garden?!" agreed Finny.

Sebastian was his usual cool self though. "Naturally we were able to handle this," he said confidently. "We serve the Phantomhive family, after all. There's still work to be done. Let's take care of it while the master is talking business with his guest. Look sharp now."

"Right!" The other servants split up as Bo followed after Damiano.

"Miss Stuart?" Sebastian called after her. Bo fought the urge to roll her eyes and turned back to him. "See to it that you act carefully around Mr. Damiano." Before she could ask what that meant, he was already off to continue making preparations for dinner.

 _Damn that butler_ , Bo thought as she made her way to where Damiano was waiting. _He's so irritatingly vague_. Nonetheless, the black-haired woman forced a smile as she entered the manor and hung up Damiano's coat and hat. "Forgive the wait, sir. Master Phantomhive is expecting you in the drawing room."

" _Molto bene_!" declared Mr. Damiano. "I cannot wait to see the esteemed Master Phantomhive once more. It has been so very long since we last met. Is he well?"

Bo nodded, making sure to keep her expression blank but pleasant. "He is," she replied simply. "The young master been looking forward to this meeting for quite some time." That was a lie; Ciel couldn't have cared less about this meeting, and to be honest, neither could Bo.

Even so, the words had their intended effect as Mr. Damiano straightened proudly. Stroking his beard, the Italian grinned broadly. "Is that so?" he said with a smile. "Well, as have I." Bo nodded and hid her smirk at how easy it was to puff up such a simple man's ego. She imagined Ciel would have laughed at her words. As we walked, Bo pretended to not notice the sideways glances Mr. Damiano shot at her. "Earl Phantomhive must be very lucky to have such loyal and capable servants," he finally complimented.

"The young master is kind and understanding," she replied simply. "He's the sort of person who makes people want to please him." Bo fought back another smirk as she pictured Ciel's annoyed glare at her words. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy praise, but for some reason he considered compassion a weakness, one he preferred Bo didn't announce to others.

Regardless, most guests enjoyed seeing the softer side of the Earl Phantomhive, and Mr. Damiano was no different. "Ahh, yes, that sounds like a master worthy of the Phantomhive family name. However," added Mr. Damiano, his tone suddenly secretive. "If you ever get tired of this dusty old manor, I would be more than happy to take you on. As an assistant, I mean." Suddenly, Bo was reminded of fat old Mr. Brown grinning at her hungrily back in that old shop. Almost as soon as the image appeared, it was replaced by a memory of Sebastian and his warning words. _So this is what he meant by 'acting carefully'._

Bo forced herself to smile pleasantly. "I appreciate the offer," she replied politely just as they reached the drawing room. Opening the door, Bo motioned for Mr. Damiano to walk ahead of her, which he did.

Ciel was already seated in the drawing room. On the table in front of him was a board game – created by the Funtom company, naturally. Bo recognized it almost immediately and smirked behind Damiano's back; it was one of Ciel's favorite games, and one of the few she could never win.

The young master stood as soon as the door opened, his expression as sour as ever, though his gaze seemed to soften when it landed on Bo. "Welcome, Mr. Damiano," he greeted, shaking the older man's hand. "It's a pleasure to see you again." Damiano returned the greeting easily and the two sat down. Bo took her usual place behind Ciel and awaited orders as the two men began playing.

"The progress we've been making with the East India Factory is quite amazing," said Damiano as the young master spun the top. "We already have the makings of a top-notch staff."

Ciel didn't seem to notice. "Bewitched by the eyes of the dead," he said. "What terrible luck. It appears I lose a turn." He shook his head as if disappointed and Bo fought back a grin. As if a little bad luck would ever prevent Ciel Phantomhive from winning.

"Right now is the perfect time," continued Damiano uncertainly. "We should begin expanding the company and building a strong labor force –"

"Go on it's your turn," prompted Ciel, obviously uninterested in the man's words.

Damiano looked down at the board as if just realizing that it was there. "Oh yes. I just spin this, then?" He spun the top and moved his own piece accordingly. "Okay there, five spaces. Now, what I wanted to ask you: Perhaps if you could contribute another twelve thousand pounds to support our expansion? I believe it would be quite a profitable venture for you, my lord. And I would consider it an honor to help expand the Funtom company –" Even Bo could tell the older man was growing impatient but the young lord was unfazed as ever.

"Lose a leg in the enchanted forest," commented the dark-haired boy. "And it's your turn again. I lost a turn, remember?"

"Oh, I see." Another spin. "Right, I move six." Damiano went to move his piece, but Ciel stopped him.

"You don't. That's three," corrected the young Earl. Damiano looked at him, his brown eyes filled with confusion. "You lost a leg if you recall," Ciel explained. "Now you only move half the number of spaces."

Damiano nodded in understanding, though Bo could see the disgust in his blue eyes. "Oh my. This is a gruesome board game, isn't it? Is there no way for me to restore my leg, then?" he asked in an attempt to be lighthearted.

Unfortunately for Mr. Damiano, his question only had the opposite effect on the already melancholy boy. "I'm afraid once something is truly lost, sir, that one can never get it back again," replied the young master. Bo watched him sadly as she realized just how true his words were. "Your body is burnt by raging flames," said the young boy suddenly, continuing the game as if nothing had happened.

Before anyone could speak further, the drawing room door opened to reveal Sebastian. "Pardon the interruption," he said, nodding to Ciel. "But dinner is served."

"Oh, dining out in that exquisite stone garden," said Damiano, clapping his hands together excitedly and Bo could tell he was glad to escape the game. "Shall we go, my lord?"

Ciel seemed to consider this before nodding reluctantly. "Very well," he acquiesced. "We'll finish the game later."

At this, Damiano paled. "Oh, is there any real need to finish it? It's obvious I'm going to lose," he pleaded. Bo hid her smirk at his distasteful look.

Ciel's mood instantly darkened at his words. "I'm not in the habit of abandoning games halfway through," he said simply as he stood to leave. Bo immediately moved so that she was standing beside the young boy with her back to the door, ready to escort both men out.

"How childish," muttered Damiano beneath his breath. Almost in unison, Sebastian, Ciel, and Bo turned their heads towards the Italian, their expressions dangerous. Realizing his mistake, Damiano quickly backtracked. "I mean, it takes a child's eyes to see what's really important. It's a true gift. Maybe that's what's made the Phantomhive family the nation's foremost toy makers. It certainly impresses me." Damiano smiled kindly at Bo as Ciel huffed, rolled his eyes, and left without another word.

Hiding her scowl at the brown-haired man, Bo turned to see Sebastian glaring at Damiano with narrowed eyes; it seemed she wasn't the only one annoyed by Damiano's comment. Even so, Bo couldn't allow her temper to affect her work. "Mr. Damiano," Sebastian said suddenly, interrupting the black-haired woman's train of thought. "If you don't mind, Mey-Rin will now escort you to the garden."

Damiano looked at Bo as though disappointed. "And what of Miss Isabo?" he asked. She fought the urge to flinch at his use of her full name. _Damn Sebastian Michaelis for not calling me by my bloody nickname as everyone else does._

"Forgive me, sir," Bo apologized as she forced herself to bow apologetically. "I'm afraid I have some duties to attend to for the young master which must be taken care of immediately. I will see you tonight after dinner though. And, please, call me Bo." This seemed to pacify the older man, because he nodded and allowed himself to be led away by Mey-Rin who had entered with Sebastian.

Once Damiano was gone, Bo immediately turned and began cleaning up the teacups and such, taking care not to disturb the game on the table; she was all too aware how picky the young master could be about his games. When the door shut, she assumed that Sebastian had disappeared to join Ciel and Damiano in the garden, which is why Bo nearly jumped ten feet in the air when his voice broke the silence.

"Nicely done, by the way," Sebastian said. Bo cursed as the tea set nearly fell out of her hand before catching it and turning with a raised brow. "With Mr. Damiano, I mean. You even got him to offer you a job. I half expect a marriage proposal will appear by the end of the night."

Bo narrowed her eyes at the butler. "I merely acted with the hospitality befitting a servant of the Phantomhive household," she replied curtly. "Mr. Damiano was merely polite, as was I. And even if he did propose, that's no business of yours." Picking up the tea tray, she made my way past Sebastian with a humph.

"Would you say yes?"

Bo froze. "Excuse me?" she asked, keeping my back to him.

Sebastian's footsteps echoed throughout the drawing room as he stepped closer to her. "If Mr. Damiano proposed," he clarified. She fought back a shudder as his breath brushed across the back of her neck. "Would you say yes?"

Sebastian's red eyes burned into Bo's green ones as she whirled around to face him angrily. Her irritation outweighed her discomfort at his proximity and Bo felt herself step forward instead of back. "How dare you?" she demanded in a hiss. "Who are _you_ to question _me_ and my loyalty to Ciel? I owe him my life, and I intend to repay that debt for as long as he will have me, regardless of who he chooses to associate with." Sebastian's narrowed his eyes at the dig, but she ignored him. "So, no, I would not say yes to Mr. Damiano even if I was remotely interested in him, which I am not."

By the end of her tirade, Bo was breathing heavily and she had somehow ended up far too close to the butler for comfort. Stepping back, Bo took a deep breath and reigned in her emotions. Bo was normally never the type to show her irritation, but Sebastian had questioned her on a topic she considered fairly sore, something which seemed to be a talent of his.

"I apologize for my rudeness. It won't happen again," Bo muttered before turning around and walking out.

"It's quite alright," replied Sebastian, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Just remember that the young master wasn't the only one there that night." Deciding that she had dug a deep enough hole for herself that evening, Bo ignored his comment and let the door close behind her with a thud. Even so, as Bo walked, she couldn't shake the feeling that perhaps she did owe Sebastian Michaelis something as well, and she shuddered to think what he would do in order to collect that payment.


	5. His Maid, Puzzled

As happy as Bo was to be free of Mr. Damiano's lustful gaze, she was even more elated to escape Sebastian's watchful eye. She immediately began to set about making preparations for dessert; Ciel had requested lemon meringue pie for the evening and Bo wasn't sure Baldroy had quite enough culinary skill to handle such a dish yet.

Making sure to leave the light off, Bo left the oven room door slightly open and brought the pie to the kitchen. Just as she finished slicing the pie, Bo felt an uncomfortably familiar presence watching her from the door. "Can I help you with something, Mr. Michaelis?"

"Have you finished making the preparations for dessert?" he asked plainly. Bo was well aware of what he was really asking. Sebastian Michaelis was many things, but he certainly wasn't foolish enough to ask her about dessert while Bo was cutting it right in front of him.

"I was just about to inform the young master and Mr. Damiano that it was ready," she replied easily. No matter Bo's personal feelings for him, Sebastian was a Phantomhive servant just as Bo was, and they both had a job to do.

Bo could feel Sebastian's smirk even as she kept her eyes on her current task. Once she had finished cutting and plating the pie, Bo placed the plates on a tray and made her way out. "Mr. Damiano is currently on a phone call," he informed Bo as she passed him. "Do take care to ensure he is shown every hospitality once he is done."

Nodding silently, she walked out, her expression impassive. Damiano's voice echoed throughout the hall as Bo made her way to him. "I'm tired of babysitting this child earl," he hissed into the phone as I neared him. Careful not to make any noise, Bo move closer to the doorway until she was just outside, her body hidden by shadows. "Yes, I've already sold off the factory. Now all that's left is to pocket the extra cash. I'm trying to squeeze more out of the brat right now. The employees? Who cares about them?" Bo grit her teeth and fought the urge to lunge at Damiano. Not only was he insulting her master, but his obvious selfishness infuriated Bo. Yes, it seemed Bo had been right; Mr. Brown was still haunting her, except now he was thin, rich, and Italian.

She must have made some noise to alert Damiano, because he suddenly turned around. Pressing myself against the wall, she held her breath and waited. The person on the phone seemed to ask what was wrong because Damiano replied, "Never mind. The rest of the formalities will be for you to deal with. No, it'll be easy. Please, he's only a child." Bo heard the click of the phone and ran as quickly as she could to the end of the hallway.

Once Bo was certain she was too far away for Damiano to suspect she had been listening, the black-haired woman turned and began walking down the hallway once more. Mr. Damiano had a strange expression on his face and he was looking around nervously. "Good evening, Mr. Damiano," she called out and fought back a smirk as he jumped at the sound of Bo's voice.

Realizing that it was only her, Damiano visibly relaxed and shot her a grin. "Miss Isabo," he said cheerfully. "What a lovely surprise."

"The young master asked me to see how you were faring," Bo lied easily. "He feared you might have gotten lost."

"How thoughtful of him." Damiano sounded irritated and Bo had to hide her smirk once more as he clenched his jaw and continued walking. "This manor is quite large, I must admit. An estate truly worthy of the Phantomhive name!" This time it was Bo's turn to grit her teeth. _Keep singing my master's praises, you filthy traitor. I'll see to it you sing a very different tune by the end of the night._

Instead of voicing her thoughts, Bo merely forced a kind smile as they moved up the stairs and replied, "Yes, indeed. It's almost too much for a mere five servants, but we make do." Mr. Damiano, however, wasn't listening. When Bo turned around to face the older man, he was staring at the portrait of Ciel's parents that Sebastian had been ordered to take down. "Is something wrong, Mr. Damiano?"

"Impossible," he muttered to himself, ignoring the black-haired woman. "I'm seeing things."

Bo raised an eyebrow and called a little louder, "Mr. Damiano?" The brown-haired man jumped guiltily and looked at her. "Are you alright?"

The Italian swallowed thickly and nodded as he made his way up the stairs. "Quite alright," he replied, but Bo could tell he was lying. "Merely feeling a bit tired. I'm not used to traveling such long distances, I'm afraid." Bo narrowed her eyes but remained silent as Mr. Damiano continued, "May I use the restroom?"

Bo nodded. "It's right upstairs, shall I accompany you?"

"No!" Mr. Damiano's outburst earned a raised eyebrow from the woman. Realizing his mistake, Damiano quickly collected himself and added, "I mean, I wouldn't want to put you out of your way. I shall go myself." Bo nodded and gave him directions to the bathroom, smirking as the brown-haired man rushed upstairs.

Suddenly, a familiar voice squealed from behind Bo. "Ugh! How embarrassing!" Bo turned to see Mey-Rin's familiar red hair at the bottom of the stairs holding a pail of water.

"Hello, Mey-Rin," Bo greeted as she moved down the stairs to meet her friend. "How did dinner go?"

Apparently, this was the wrong question to ask, because Mey-Rin clutched the handle of her pail even tighter. "Oh, I really messed up this time!" she exclaimed. Suddenly, Mey-Rin's eyes widened and her expression grew excited. "But at least I was able to get close to Sebastian!"

Bo giggled. "Mey-Rin, I'm astonished by you," she joked. "You've never been so forward before."

"Oh, what a shameful day!" Mey-Rin declared, suddenly ashamed by her own reaction. "What kind of lecherous maid am I?!" Bo chuckled at her friend's change in mood. Mey-Rin often acted this way after making a mistake in front of guest: first embarrassment at her foolishness, then adoration for Sebastian, then shame at her own attraction to the butler.

Bo never understood why Mey-Rin was enamored with him, but before she could ask, a loud crash erupted behind the two women. Both Bo and Mey-Rin turned to see Mr. Damiano lying on the staircase, his leg bent at an unnatural angle.

"A-Are you all right?!" Mey-Rin exclaimed. She tried to rush over to the Italian, but Bo held her back. "But his... His leg is twisted the wrong way, yes!" The redhead tried to protest, but a warning look and a shake of the brunette's head immediately silenced the other maid.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Baldroy's voice questioned as he and Finny entered carrying the Phantomhive family portrait.

"O-Our guest...!" Mey-Rin trailed off and looked at Bo, uncertain of what to say.

But the dark-haired maid was no longer listening. She was watching Mr. Damiano, who had begun crawling towards the servants' quarters. Without glancing back at the other servants, she said, "Sebastian and I shall handle Mr. Damiano's injury. You three continue with your tasks." Suddenly, it was as though a flip had switched in the servants; Bo only called Sebastian by his first name when matters of the Queen's Guard Dog were involved. None of them dared to question Bo as she followed Mr. Damiano down the hallway.

Mr. Damiano crawled through the halls as Bo followed him, her stride leisurely. "Surely you aren't leaving the manor yet, sir?" she called out almost mockingly. "We haven't given you the full Phantomhive treatment yet." Damiano turned to look at the dark-haired women, his expression frantic. The maid watched in unison as he bumped into the leg of an all-too familiar butler.

"Quite right, Miss Isabo," agreed Sebastian with a smirk. He looked down at Damiano with amusement in his burgundy eyes. "We still have to serve dessert." Damiano's blue eyes widened in horror. He turned and fled, crawling past Bo as quickly as he could.

Bo smirked as Sebastian joined her in giving chase. "You've lost a leg, remember?" she called out teasingly. "Now you can only move half the number of spaces, so why not just relax a bit and make yourself at home?" Mr. Damiano ignored her and turned into one of the rooms, the only one left unlocked.

The servants shared a knowing smirk before following Damiano. Everything had gone according to plan, as usual. The room was dark, but Bo knew it well enough to not need light. Damiano seemed to have disappeared but a thud from the nearby wall alerted her to his presence. Bo smirked once more. "What an impatient guest we have," she said, bending down to peek into the small window inside. "You couldn't even restrain yourself until dessert was out of the oven."

Damiano's eyes widened in realization as Sebastian lit the oven, the flames now illuminating the servants' faces in a wicked way. "The oven?!" Open up! Please, open the door!" He tried to push at the door but it was futile; Sebastian had already locked it.

"Perhaps the Italians aren't familiar with our customs," commented Sebastian nonchalantly. He began ticking off the list with his fingers as Damiano struggled inside. "There's plum pudding, mincemeat pie. There are many traditional desserts here in England that make use of meat."

Bo straightened and nodded playfully at the butler ignoring Damiano's screams. "I find them all quite tasty." She glanced down at the oven once more before turning back to Sebastian, her expression serious again. "I trust you can handle Mr. Damiano's return home on your own?" Sebastian nodded, his burgundy eyes amused – at what, though, Bo had no idea. Deciding to ignore it, she continued, "I'll go check on the young master then." Another silent nod signaled Bo's cue to leave, which is exactly what she did.

As she made her way out the service entrance, Bo grabbed two slices of pie and plated them. Just as Bo expected, Finny and Baldroy were standing in the furnace room, burning the old portrait. "What was that?" asked the blond man when he saw the black-haired woman walk upstairs. "Someone screamed."

The maid shrugged nonchalantly. "Don't know," she replied. Baldroy narrowed his eyes but didn't dare question her further. Of all the Phantomhive servants, Baldroy was the one she was least close to. Bo suspected that was because he had a difficult time trusting people, and she wasn't very easy to trust either way.

Even so, his distrust made him one of the easiest people in the manor to read. "By the way," she added with a smile. "Thank you for your hard work today. As a reward, how would you like some lemon meringue pie? The sugar will give you energy."

"Pie for us, Miss Isabo?!" exclaimed both men as if on cue. They raced over to the young woman and hugged her happily, all prior concerns forgotten. "You're such a nice person!"

Bo sighed and smiled at the men. "Alright, alright... That's enough. And I told you both to call me Bo!" she scolded playfully as she pushed them off. Both men thanked her once more and sat down to eat their treats. Just as Bo was about to leave she paused and added, "Oh yes... and Bard?" When he looked up, she continued, "A workman will be coming by in the morning. When he arrives, kindly let him know we'll be needing our oven thoroughly cleaned."

"Huh?" Baldroy looked confused. "The oven?" The maid merely shot him a conspiratorial wink and descended the stairs. _Mr. Damiano... I hope you enjoyed your stay and the Phantomhive family hospitality... all the way down to your bones..._

Bo made her way back through the servants quarters with a wide smirk. Just as she passed through the main foyer, she noticed Sebastian standing in the center smiling to himself. "Mr. Michaelis?" she called out. The butler turned around as if he'd been expecting her.

"Yes, Miss Isabo?" he asked, his usual amused grin in place.

The maid fought back her usual irritated glare and forced herself to smile at him. "I just wanted to thank you... for warning me about Mr. Damiano, I mean," she added in a rush.

Sebastian seemed to be surprised by her words for a moment, but he quickly recovered. "It was nothing, really," he replied, his smile genuine this time. "I doubt you would have needed the warning in any case."

"Even so," Bo continued, gritting her teeth. Here came the hard part. "You were looking out for me and I... I treated you harshly. I apologize for my rudeness. Again."

Sebastian nodded. "Think nothing of it," he said simply. The pair stood there for a long, awkward moment. Finally, Bo could no longer take the situation and excused herself, rushing back to her room. "Miss Isabo?" called out the butler, causing her to pause and turn questioningly. "That's two favors you owe me now." Bo fought back a cringe and nodded before turning back down the hall. Sebastian Michaelis continued to remain an enigma in Bo's eyes, but little did she know just how much of a puzzle Isabo Stuart was in his.


End file.
